Off Topic: Tea

First off, sorry I’ve been so absent recently. I’ve been helping supervise the renovation and subsequent renting of a bunch of units in my building and it’s been like herding cats. Cats who don’t like each other and have a fondness for Red Bull. Maybe Peyote. Add to that this flu, which this year seems to be taking about a month to really go away. Last weekend I think except for trips to the icebox all I did is sleep.

But one of the things I have been turning to is tea. A nice cup of English Breakfast or Earl Grey in the morning, a pot of hibiscus or chamomile in the evening. Heaven.

So what teas do you enjoy? Let me know in the comments.

(If you have a groundworks in your neighborhood their English Breakfast is the best I have ever had)

Image: Internets

  • Diana says:

    I like all kinds of teas and order mine from an online importer called Upton Teas. I like oolongs and black teas mostly. Once in awhile Genmai Matcha is good, but gotta to have food in my stomach or else it makes me nauseous. Upton has an oolong called Floral Tie Guan Yin that is awesome and their Keemun Mao Feng and Yunnan blacks are really nice. For caffeine free, I like their flavored roobois and from the supermarket, I like Rose Tulsi (Organic India) and Camomile/Lavender tea (Celestial Organics).

  • Debra says:

    Thank you so much. I really appreciate the information.

    I am amused by the current “bone broth” thing. I am of an age that if it wasn’t made with bones, it wasn’t broth. Leads me to wonder what y’all have been ingesting as “broth”.

  • Ana says:

    Hey Tom – considerably raising our vitamin d, c and zinc levels have helped us bounce back very quickly from this flu. This doctor’s vitamin advice, which I happened to see on the news, really helped turn everything around for my family and friends. In case you’re curious, here it is : http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Flu-prevention-advice-you-have-NOT-heard-before-470225603.html

    My tea routine consists of Taylors Scottish Breakfast tea in the morning due to its hefty caffeine dose. I remedy an afternoon slump with Pukka Supreme Matcha tea which contains matcha in addition to organic sencha, Indian and Vietnamese green teas (matcha has anti tumor/cancer properties) . And during the evening, I’ll steep Organic India’s Sweet Rose Tulsi which is calming and soothing beyond measure.

    • Debra says:

      Ana, I was wondering if you’d be so kind as so give the levels of D, C and Zinc. I don’t have sound on this desktop.

      • Ana says:

        Debra – on a daily basis she recommends taking 500mg – 1000 mg of vitamin c , 2000-3000 iu’s of vitamin d and 25 mg of zinc. She also said to raise these levels upon feeling any flu symptoms in order to reduce the impact and duration of the virus. Under flu conditions, one would take up to 50,000 iu’s of vit d (we took between 25,000/30,000), 4,000 mg of vitamin c (we took 5,000) and 50 mg of zinc. She also recommends drinking bone broth and staying away from dairy and sugar because they negatively impact the immune system.

        • Debra says:

          Thank you so much. I really appreciate the information.

          I am amused by the current “bone broth” thing. I am of an age that if it wasn’t made with bones, it wasn’t broth. Leads me to wonder what y’all have been ingesting as “broth”.

  • Tom says:

    I’d like to read some recommendations as well. I find myself reacting more and more to caffeine.

  • springpansy says:

    I’d love some recs for tea (green or otherwise) that is lower on the caffeine content. I love English Breakfast with milk in the morning, but can’t do that much caffeine. (I already have herbal and rooibos teas for later in the day, looking for something to drink with milk for starting the day.)

    • James H. says:

      Matcha is much lower in caffeine than black tea or even oolong. Give it a try! You might get addicted to it like me! It is supposed to have great anti-oxidant qualities as a bonus.

  • Kathleen says:

    LOL, herding cats that don’t like each other and have a fondness for Red Bull! I adore the feelings of wellness I receive from tea as well. I drink various green teas during the day, and always have a cup of Yogi Lavender and Honey Stress Relief or Licorice with a spoonful of Stay Calm (magnesium powder) at bedtime.

  • VerbenaLuvvr says:

    I have a daily matcha habit. Also love English Breakfast and Oolong teas.

  • Tara C says:

    I had that flu for 5-6 weeks, horrible thing. As for tea, I like black and rooibos teas. Black teas are mostly Fortnum & Mason’s and Kusmi, rooibos is Republic of Tea and Numi.

  • AnnJune says:

    Lately my tea routine is Taylor’s Lapsang Souchong 1st thing in the morning, followed by Taylor’s Jasmine Green mid morning served hot, then the jasmine green iced with lunch (sans the milk). I’ve been enjoying a bit of something sweet mid afternoon with Harney’s Valentine tea – black tea with chocolate flavor and rosebuds : ) Taking notes on all the suggestions here for new tea adventures. Thanks!

  • Debra says:

    Thanks for reporting on the flu taking a month for recovery. You’re right. My husband, myself, and adult daughter are seeing the same things. It’s like, “The Winter We Were Sick”.

    Re herding cats, have you seen the “Cowboys Herding Cats” commercial? It’s on youtube and well worth a watch if you haven’t seen it already. Genuine LOL.

    There are so many teas to love!!
    –jasmine
    –jasmine with crysanthemum drink (as taught by a woman from Hong Kong)
    –genma cha
    –Adagio’s Katsumi, Earl Grey Moonlight and Bonfire teas, all of which are as fragrant as perfume
    –keemun mao feng
    –Celestial Seasonings watermelon hibiscus tea (served hot)

    ….. and probably twice as many honorable mentions.

  • Taxi says:

    For 6 days, I’ve slurped Constant Comment’s orange spiced black tea, hibiscus, & red rooibos. The only consolation will be if I end up losing 3-4 pounds. I’d been sick for 2 days but didn’t know I had laryngitis too until I got a phone call & couldn’t even croak. My nose feels as if it’s the size of a potato. No point to fragrance right now!

  • greysilver says:

    What’s a groundworks? I love black teas!